Dear Ocean Friends,

We wear clothes every day, and many of us love fashion. But washing synthetic clothes can hurt the ocean. Tiny plastic fibers from synthetic clothes go into the water when we wash them. These small fibers are called microplastics, and they can hurt fish, sea animals – and even us humans.

In this post, I want to explain how washing causes microplastic – and what we can all do to help.

What is microplastic from clothes?

Many clothes are made from synthetic materials like polyester or nylon. When you wash them, very small plastic fibers break off. These are so tiny you can’t see them. They go down the drain with the dirty water. Water cleaning systems (called treatment plants) cannot stop all of them, so they end up in the ocean.

What can we do?

The good news: there are easy ways to help stop this!

• Wash less often: If your clothes are not dirty or smelly, just air them out. This saves water – and stops microplastic too.
• Use a washing bag: The Guppyfriend washing bag catches many plastic fibers in the wash. You can find it in our shop. It’s an easy way to protect the ocean!
• Buy clothes with natural fibers: Cotton, wool, and linen do not release microplastic.
• Skip fabric softener: It can make even more fibers break off – and it’s not good for the planet.

Every step helps.

Microplastic is a big problem, but small changes in how we wash can make a real difference. Let’s take care of our oceans together.

With ocean love,
BIANCA XENIA 🌊💙